Dynamic configuration of application component tiles

ABSTRACT

A server with a tile construction module has instructions executed by a processor to collect communication threads associated with a user. Tiles representative of the communication threads are dynamically configured in accordance with specified policies to form a tile configuration. The tile configuration is supplied to the user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/948,849, filed Oct. 2, 2020, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,310,183,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/002,228,filed on Jan. 20, 2016, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,817,156, which isa continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/274,627, filed onMay 9, 2014, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,276,886, each of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to mobile device applications operativein a networked environment. More particularly, this invention relates todynamically configuring application component tiles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mobile devices have limited display space. Many mobile deviceapplications have a variety of changing content. Presenting suchchanging content to a user is a challenge.

In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide newtechniques for dynamically configuring application content andsupporting the manipulation of such content by a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A server with a tile construction module has instructions executed by aprocessor to collect communication threads associated with a user. Tilesrepresentative of the communication threads are dynamically configuredin accordance with specified policies to form a tile configuration. Thetile configuration is supplied to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention is more fully appreciated in connection with the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which.

FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic device utilized in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a networked system utilized in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates processing operations associated with an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates dynamically configured application component tilessupplied in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an application component mode invoked from anapplication component tile.

FIG. 6 illustrates user manipulated application component tiles.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic device 100 utilized in accordance withan embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the electronic device100 is a Smartphone with a processor 102 in communication with a memory104. The processor 102 may be a central processing unit and/or agraphics processing unit. The memory 104 is a combination of flashmemory and random access memory. The memory 104 stores an applicationcontroller 106. The application controller 106 includes executableinstructions to coordinate the display and manipulation of applicationcomponent tiles. An application component is a discrete application modeor application object. For example, an application component may be anapplication setting component, an application mode, such as a text modeor a camera mode, while an application object may be data gathered bythe application, such as a text conversation or a camera object (e.g., aphotograph or video). A tile refers to some visual indication of anapplication component. The application controller 106 may includeexecutable instructions for dynamic configuration and manipulation ofapplication component tiles, which augments or replaces such processingthat is described below in connection with a server based tileconstruction module.

The processor 102 is also coupled to image sensors 115. The imagesensors 115 may be known digital image sensors, such as charge coupleddevices. The image sensors capture visual media, which is presented ondisplay 116, as coordinated by the application controller 106.

A touch controller 118 is connected to the display 116 and the processor102. The touch controller 118 is responsive to haptic signals applied tothe display 116. In one embodiment, the application controller 106monitors signals from the touch controller 118 to coordinate invocationof application component tiles and the reconfiguration of applicationcomponent tiles. The electronic device 100 may also include othercomponents commonly associated with a Smartphone, such as a wirelesssignal processor 120 to support wireless communications, a power controlcircuit 122 and a global positioning system processor 124.

FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 configured in accordance with anembodiment of the invention. The system 200 includes a set of clientdevices 100_1 through 100_N. The client devices 100 are connected to anetwork 206, which is any combination of wireless and wired networkcommunication devices. A server 204 is also connected to the network206. The server 204 includes standard components, such as a centralprocessing unit 210 and input/output devices 212 connected via a bus214. The input/output devices 212 may include a keyboard, mouse, displayand the like. A network interface circuit 216 is also connected to thebus 214 to provide connectivity to network 206. A memory 220 is alsoconnected to the bus 214. The memory 220 includes modules withexecutable instructions, such as a tile construction module 222. Thetile construction module 222 implements tile construction andmanipulation operations, as discussed below.

FIG. 3 illustrates processing operations associated with an embodimentof the invention. The operations are performed by the tile constructionmodule 222 of server 204 in combination with one or more client devices100. Initially, an application is invoked 300 on a client device 100_1.For example, the tile construction module 222 may form a segment of anetwork executed application that coordinates taking photographs andappending messages to such photographs to form application objects fordelivery from one user to another. In one embodiment, the applicationobjects are transitory. That is, the application objects areautomatically deleted after a specified viewing period. For example, acamera object (e.g., a photograph of video) may have a specified viewingperiod of five seconds, after which the camera object is automaticallydeleted. A text conversation thread may have a text entry that isautomatically deleted after a specified viewing period. In oneembodiment, a user may override the automatic deletion by applying agesture to the text entry so that the text entry is preserved. It shouldbe appreciated that for transitory application objects of this type auser's content rapidly changes. In particular, new objects are received,they are viewed and they are deleted.

Client 100_1 accesses the tile construction module 222 over network 206.The tile construction module 222 collects communication threads 302 forthe user associated with the client device 100_1. The communicationthreads are application objects associated with the user. Thecommunication threads or application objects may include camera objects(e.g., photographs or videos) and/or text objects (e.g., text threads)associated with the user.

The tile construction module 222 dynamically configures the tiles 304.The dynamic configuration may be informed by certain policies. Policiesmay specify such parameters as always include an application settingtile and at least one application modality tile. Activation of anapplication setting tile invokes a setting mode, which allows a user toconfigure various application settings. Activation of an applicationmodality tile invokes an application modality, such as picture taking,video capture or text session. Another parameter may specify that atleast a threshold minimum of conversation tiles be displayed. Anotherparameter may specify that at least a threshold minimum of camera tilesbe presented (where a camera tile represents a digital photograph or avideo session). A camera object may have associated text. A conversationtile refers to a text without associated camera content. Anotherparameter may specify a distribution of conversation tiles and cameratiles in proportion to the respective number of conversation tiles andcamera tiles associated with the user.

After the tiles are dynamically configured, they are supplied to theuser 306. The client device 100_1 displays the tiles 308, incoordination with the application controller 106. FIG. 4 illustrates thedisplay of tiles on client device 100_1. The figure illustrates asettings tile 400, a front facing picture taking modality tile 402 and aback facing picture taking modality tile 404. FIG. 4 also illustrates aset of conversation tiles 406, including tiles C_1, C_2, C_3 and C_4.Individual tiles 406 may include notification indicia 408. Thenotification indicia may specify the last time the conversation wasviewed, the number of new conversation entries (e.g., new textmessages), and the like. Each conversation tile 406 is usuallyassociated with a conversation thread between the user and one or moreother users. FIG. 4 also illustrates a set of camera tiles 410,including tiles P_1, P_2, P_3 and P_4 (where “P” references a picture,which may be a photograph or video). Individual tiles 410 may includenotification indicia 412.

Returning to FIG. 3 , the next operation is to process tile commands310. Tile commands may be processed locally by the applicationcontroller 106 and/or remotely by the tile construction module 222. Forexample, if the back facing picture taking modality tile 404 is invokedthrough a gesture applied to the display of the client device 100_1,then the application controller 106 may locally invoke this mode, asshown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 5 includes indicia 500 of the back facing picture taking mode. Thefigure also illustrates a button 500, which may be used to take a cameraobject (i.e., either a photograph or a video). A specified gesture tothe display of FIG. 5 may return the user to the tile display mode. Forexample, a pinch gesture applied to the screen may return the user tothe configuration of FIG. 4 .

Other tile processing commands may be coordinated between theapplication controller 106 and the tile construction module 222. Forexample, the user may swipe the screen to obtain additional tiles storedby the tile construction module 222. Thus, the tile construction moduleupdates the tile configuration, if necessary 312. The updates mayinclude the collection of communication threads, the dynamicconfiguration of tiles and the supply of tiles, as was the case when thetiles were initially supplied to the client 100_1.

FIG. 6 illustrates that the tiles may be configured in any randommanner. In FIG. 6 , the camera tiles 408 have been placed in a row abovea matrix of conversation tiles 406. Individual tiles are moved throughhaptic engagement and movement of a tile across the screen.

Returning to FIG. 3 , a user may send a communication 314. For example,an application modality tile may be invoked to create a text messageand/or a camera object (photograph or video). The application mode mayutilize various means to specify a communication recipient orrecipients. Once recipients are specified, the communication is sent314. The server 204 routes the communication 316. It may then bedisplayed 318 on another client device 100_2. Client device 100_2displays dynamically configured application component tiles, such asshown in FIG. 4 .

Advantageously, the disclosed techniques provide an efficient way fornavigating an application running on a mobile device with limited screenspace. Particularly in the context of a social media application thatmay involve numerous communication threads, the disclosed techniqueallows a user to reduce the time spent navigating an application byproviding the user with a view of the application that allows selectionof a new destination.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a computer storageproduct with a non-transitory computer readable storage medium havingcomputer code thereon for performing various computer-implementedoperations. The media and computer code may be those specially designedand constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they maybe of the kind well known and available to those having skill in thecomputer software arts. Examples of computer-readable media include, butare not limited to: magnetic media, optical media, magneto-optical mediaand hardware devices that are specially configured to store and executeprogram code, such as application-specific integrated circuits(“ASICs”), programmable logic devices (“PLDs”) and ROM and RAM devices.Examples of computer code include machine code, such as produced by acompiler, and files containing higher-level code that are executed by acomputer using an interpreter. For example, an embodiment of theinvention may be implemented using JAVA9, C++, or other object-orientedprogramming language and development tools. Another embodiment of theinvention may be implemented in hardwired circuitry in place of, or incombination with, machine-executable software instructions.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specificnomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention.However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specificdetails are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, theforegoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention arepresented for purposes of illustration and description. They are notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formsdisclosed; obviously, many modifications and variations are possible inview of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and describedin order to best explain the principles of the invention and itspractical applications, they thereby enable others skilled in the art tobest utilize the invention and various embodiments with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It isintended that the following claims and their equivalents define thescope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: dynamicallyconfiguring a set of conversation tiles and a set of camera tiles inaccordance with specified policies to form a tile configuration, thetile configuration including an application setting tile for configuringapplication settings, wherein the specified policies include parametersfor respectively specifying a threshold minimum number of tiles for theset of conversation tiles and for the set of camera tiles; and supplyingthe tile configuration to a mobile device based on the threshold minimumnumber of tiles.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:collecting communication threads associated with a user, wherein thecommunication threads form a social media application comprising the setof conversation tiles and the set of camera tiles.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the set of conversation tiles and the set of cameratiles are automatically deleted after a specified viewing period.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the set of conversation tiles and the set ofcamera tiles are automatically deleted after a specified viewing periodunless a user overrides automatic deletion by applying a gesture to atext entry within a conversation tile within the set of conversationtiles so that the text entry is preserved.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising: coordinating manipulation of the tile configurationwith an application controller on a client device.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the application controller monitors signals from atouch controller to coordinate invocation of application componenttiles.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch controller isresponsive to haptic signals applied to a display.
 8. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the application controller monitors signals from atouch controller to coordinate reconfiguration of application componenttiles.
 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the application controller isconfigured to process tile commands.
 10. The method of claim 1, whereinthe tile configuration includes notification indicia.
 11. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the set of conversation tiles comprises a set of textthreads.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of camera tilescomprises a set of photographs.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein theset of camera tiles comprises a set of videos.
 14. The method of claim1, wherein the tile configuration is configured to be updated inresponse to a screen swipe.
 15. A system comprising: a processorconfigured to perform operations comprising: dynamically configuring aset of conversation tiles and a set of camera tiles in accordance withspecified policies to form a tile configuration, the tile configurationincluding an application setting tile for configuring applicationsettings, wherein the specified policies include parameters forrespectively specifying a threshold minimum number of tiles for the setof conversation tiles and for the set of camera tiles; and supplying thetile configuration to a mobile device based on the threshold minimumnumber of tiles.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the set ofconversation tiles and the set of camera tiles are automatically deletedafter a specified viewing period unless a user overrides automaticdeletion by applying a gesture to a text entry within a conversationtile within the set of conversation tiles so that the text entry ispreserved.
 17. The system of claim 15, the operations furthercomprising: collecting communication threads associated with a user,wherein the communication threads form a social media applicationcomprising the set of conversation tiles and the set of camera tiles.18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, thecomputer-readable storage medium including instructions that whenexecuted by a computer, cause the computer to perform operationscomprising: dynamically configuring a set of conversation tiles and aset of camera tiles in accordance with specified policies to form a tileconfiguration, the tile configuration including an application settingtile for configuring application settings, wherein the specifiedpolicies include parameters for respectively specifying a thresholdminimum number of tiles for the set of conversation tiles and for theset of camera tiles; and supplying the tile configuration to a mobiledevice based on the threshold minimum number of tiles.
 19. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein theset of conversation tiles and the set of camera tiles are automaticallydeleted after a specified viewing period unless a user overridesautomatic deletion by applying a gesture to a text entry within aconversation tile within the set of conversation tiles so that the textentry is preserved.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of claim 18, the operations further comprising: collectingcommunication threads associated with a user, wherein the communicationthreads form a social media application comprising the set ofconversation tiles and the set of camera tiles.